Today's reading from Deuteronomy shows how important God thinks it is to provide for people in need. Over and over again the Bible makes it clear that treating people in need with fairness and compassion is a huge part of being faithful to God. The passage refers to the seventh year. The law of Moses taught that every seven years debts were forgiven, so no one would get too far behind. That also reminded Israel that the land of Israel belonged not to any person, but to God.
God bless,
Sam
Deuteronomy
15:7-11
7If there is
among you anyone in need, a member of your community in any of your towns
within the land that the Lord your God is giving you, do
not be hard-hearted or tight-fisted toward your needy neighbor. 8You
should rather open your hand, willingly lending enough to meet the need,
whatever it may be.
9Be careful that
you do not entertain a mean thought, thinking, “The seventh year, the year of
remission, is near,” and therefore view your needy neighbor with hostility and
give nothing; your neighbor might cry to the Lord against
you, and you would incur guilt. 10Give liberally and be ungrudging
when you do so, for on this account the Lord your God
will bless you in all your work and in all that you undertake. 11Since
there will never cease to be some in need on the earth, I therefore command
you, “Open your hand to the poor and needy neighbor in your land.”
No comments:
Post a Comment